


The Forgotten Soul

by fraufi666



Category: Hetalia - Fandom
Genre: Doppelcest, Doppelganger, Human Names, M/M, Male Slash, Multi, Romance, Sexual Slavery, Suspense, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 01:08:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1838848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraufi666/pseuds/fraufi666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sweden and Finland move into a quiet log cabin together to begin a carefree and blissful life together. However against their belief, there is one lonely person who has been watching the couple, scheming to meddle with their lives. But will this person succeed separate the couple and become a replacement for one of these men? In such a dire situation, only time will tell</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Forgotten Soul

An icy chill travelled through the numerous pine trees and then blasted its way into the village. A few log cabins were scattered around the Scandinavian village, the cold forcing its inhabitants to spend the day indoors. But Tino did not mind this. It made the Finn more than content to stay in the cabin with Berwald, even if it involved designing and making furniture for their new home. Despite living in the cabin for a few weeks, it was rather bare, save for a small wooden table, a couple of chairs, a rug and a single bed. Tino remembered fondly of the first time they had moved in. Berwald had led him to the cabin, keeping his hands over the Finn’s eyes to prevent him from peeking. He had wanted to surprise him.

"Oh Mr Sweden, can I look now?" Tino inquired once more. He was getting impatient. Berwald continued to walk him a few feet forward and then finally removed his hands from his eyes. 

"Ja."

Tino opened his eyes, stunned by the sight that was before him. Even though the room was still empty, there was a bed, filled with luxurious, soft blankets. The Swede has spent a few nights meticulously crafting the bed, just for them. He stood in silence as Tino continued to cry of happiness. 

"Mr Sweden…This is…This is amazing."

After a few moments, the taller blond moved towards the Finn. Then, to his surprise, he got onto one knee and cleared his throat. 

"Tino. There is something I need to tell you." 

"What is it Swe?" The smaller man’s attention was seized. 

"I just wanted to say…" 

Tino looked on, still very much eager to hear what the other had to say. 

Berwald lowered his gaze. “I…I love you.” 

Giving an excited shriek, the Finn jumped forward to throw his arms around Berwald. “I love you too, Mr Sweden!!” He blurted excitedly, giving him a huge smile “And I want to be with you in our new home forever and ever!”

Tino smiled at the memory that did not happen so long ago. He watched the Swede carefully sketch a plan for a new shelf; his blue eyes squinted in concentration behind his spectacles. 

"How is everything going, Mr Sweden?" Tino inquired cheerily, hoping to ease the taller man’s mind. He seemed far too serious for an activity which was meant to be enjoyable. "…Do you want me to help you?" 

The Swede shook his head silently, keeping his eyes fixed on the plan.

"M-Mr Sweden? Is everything okay?" Worried, the smaller man edged closer to place a hand over Berwald’s. It was always difficult to know what was on Berwald’s mind. He was a man of very few words, preferring to listen to other people talk instead. Especially Tino. He enjoyed listening to the small man chirp away on trivial matters. 

"It’s okay." Berwald mumbled, finally taking his eyes off the plan. In an instant, his arm drooped, sending the pencil he was holding to roll away on the floor. Tino instinctively crouched over to pick up the pencil, yet the taller blonde was even quicker, his hand travelling straight over the Finn’s. Both of their hands joined as Berwald leaned closer, and with a smile gave a tender kiss to Tino’s lips. Tino blushed, realising that the Swede’s mind was on other matters now.

"Swe-" Tino gasped, yet the other put a finger to his lips to silence him. 

"Ja…" He whispered quietly, reading Tino’s mind "This is what I want." The rough, strong hands ran through the smaller man’s hair as his blue, spectacled eyes focused entirely on the Finn’s expression. Tino reached up to remove the Swede’s spectacles, hoping to catch more of a glance of the icy blue eyes. Despite their coolness, Berwald’s gaze was comforting and warm. Still holding Tino’s other hand, Berwald led him to the next room, which was only separated by a curtain. The furniture and room renovation could wait another day. Gently, the Swede lay Tino on the bed and closing the curtain began to remove his garments. The Finn followed Berwald’s actions and then crawled under the heavy blankets. 

 

Now both under the blankets, each took the opportunity to explore every part of the other’s bodies. Arms tightly fastened around one another, they kissed slowly and then made sweet, gentle love together. Between breaths, Tino closed his eyes, leaning close to the taller man. “I love you…” he whispered. 

The Swede gave a small smile and reciprocated his words with a kiss, his eyes still not leaving Tino’s face. He traced a hand over his cheek softly, causing the Finn to blush once more. Even though he did not say much at all, Tino knew that Berwald felt the same. Every moment spent together had felt worthwhile. There seemed to be nothing else in the quiet, snow-covered world outside their cabin. 

 

But they were wrong, for there was one other soul who was scurrying outside in the snow. Shivering, he pulled a black hood over his fair hair, cursing against the bitter cold. Blowing warm air over his pale, black nailed fingers, the figure ducked beneath one of the snow-encrusted pine trees. The sky was getting darker and he still had not found decent shelter. Although the young man was accustomed to the cold and could stand for temperatures much lower than most people, being outside for so many hours had made his body vulnerable. But in the dim, winter light there was a single warm glow that was beckoning him from a few meters away. Curious, he fumbled onto his feet and walked towards it. 

Could this be home? It was hard to tell. Nevertheless, he pushed himself to walk a few more steps. He then stopped in front of the log cabins that still had the light on. Careful to remain hidden, the man pulled the hood well over his features so that he had camouflaged with the night sky. He edged closer to the window, his cold heart melting at the sight before him. 

Through the window, two men of very contrasting heights sat together at the table. The smaller man was laughing about something, his violet eyes sparkling in sheer joy. The taller one, more stoic in nature listened intently to the other, while he ate. The hooded man could not hear the conversation, nor was he interested to. But it was the cheerful, lively features of the smaller man that shocked him the most. Never, had he seen himself so happy before. The sight was enough to make him cringe. Yet it made his heart ache at the same time. When was the last time that he had been like that? It felt like he was always grim. Nothing in life had been so beautiful to make him smile like that man. Perhaps, he thought, perhaps it was himself in the life that he never got to experience. Turning away, the man walked away from the cabin, his footsteps being covered by the heavy snowfall. They will never know that he was here…At least until later. 

Someday he vowed to be in that warm cabin, just like the young man who resembled him so much. No matter what it measures he would take.

The next day was more productive. Berwald and Tino spent hours carefully designing and assembling some of the furniture that they had planned previously. But supplies were fast running out for when they were assembling a chair they realised that there was no more wood left to make another leg. 

"Oh dear!" Exclaimed Tino as Berwald frowned slightly at the inconvenience. "I can’t believe that we ran out of wood already! What can we do?” 

The Swede pondered for a while before turning back to the worried Finn. “I’m going to get more wood.” He mumbled shortly. Without hesitation, he made his way to the door. 

"Be safe, okay?" Warned Tino. As long as he could remember, he had always been cautious for other people’s safety. 

"Ja sure." Berwald replied. He knew the woods well and was more than capable to take care of himself. Tino wished to go with him, yet someone had to stay to mind the house. Reluctantly, Tino waved goodbye to the Swede who was already half way out of the door. 

Now outside, Berwald trudged through the snow. He carefully scrutinised the area for some random logs, yet only a few branches lay. Picking them up, he continued to walk towards the pine forest where more logs were present. From the corner of his eye, a dark figure quickly scurried away. Berwald was unfazed. He was used to people running away from him as soon as he approached them. Despite having a warm and friendly disposition, his quiet demeanor and large stature had made him more intimidating. 

The Swede left for a while to place the logs near the cabin and came back to the forest, axe in hand. Since it was winter, it seemed more than necessary to stock up on firewood. He took a few swings of the axe and managed, without too much difficulty, to chop down a couple of the thicker-trunked trees. Satisfied, he removed his spectacles to wipe the frost off the lenses. 

Behind one of the untouched trees, the hooded young man dared to poke his head out from under the branches to stare at Berwald. The man seemed familiar, although it was not a pleasant familiarity. He recalled seeing someone of a very similar appearance before. Yet this man was different, much different to the man that he had recalled. For one, the young man had never seen him work so hard before. He also seemed so quiet and at peace with himself. 

Suddenly, a memory flooded into his mind and he crouched over the snow in dismay, hands over his face.

 

A tall, dark shape walked into the room. A cold, wicked face of a man was the only thing visible in the poor light. 

"You are a failure." A voice hissed. "I do not have to repeat myself. You know this all too well. Whenever I give you an order, you have to obey it. Is that understood?" 

The young man nodded hastily, but the man issued a blow to the back of his head with a boot as if his gesture was not satisfactory. He cried in discomfort, clutching his head which ached tremendously. He scrambled up to his knees, grabbing one of the man’s legs for support. 

"I’m sorry!" He cried in defense, his head leaning against the boots of the other. "I’ll do anything for you. I’ll never let you down! Please master, please don’t hurt me." 

A shadowy smile curled on the taller man’s lips. He grabbed the younger man by the hair roughly and stared at him directly into the eyes “You know that an error can never go unpunished.” He said in a harsh whisper. “And you know how much I hate errors.” A sharp nail laid against the cheek of the smaller man. With malice, the man dug the nail deeper into the cheek, causing beads of blood to run down his face like the tears from his eyes. He cried in pain, begging for the pain to cease, yet the nail continued to make its sinister journey down his face. 

"No!!!"

A sharp breeze stunned the man out of his thoughts and he quickly regained his composure. With a trembling hand, he put a finger to his scarred cheek, exactly where the other had pushed his nail and winced in pain. He was furious for setting out into the woods and furious for setting eyes on the man who had reminded him so much of those miserable days in the past. As he stood up from the snow, ready to confront the man who had caused so much pain, he paused. The Swede was no longer around. He had already gone inside with the newly chopped logs. 

"You’re back!" Tino exclaimed, giving the tall man a big hug. "I’m so happy…You know, I was pretty worried, but at least you’re fine. Here, I made you something to eat."

"It’s okay." Berwald replied calmly, giving him a small smile. He placed a hand into the man’s hair and stared into his sparkling violet eyes. "I’d like to take a rest first." 

"Oh…Of course!" Tino answered quickly. "Do lie down. You look tired."  
Berwald took the Finn’s hand. “Lie with me.” He said quietly, blue eyes meeting violet. 

Without a trace of hesitation, Tino climbed into the bed with the Swede. Still clothed, they lay in each other’s arms for a few moments. In the comfort of Berwald’s embrace, Tino fell asleep and gradually afterwards, the Swede followed suit. 

Just a few inches away from the window, the hooded young man kept watch. It seemed surreal, just how familiar, yet how unusual this relationship was. He kept his eyes on the small Finn, who had his head well buried into the chest of the Swede. They looked so comfortable together, so perfect. It was almost as if they had not given the rest of the world another thought. One thing that he knew that was different between himself and the Finn was how relaxed he was…Weak. 

The young man, almost repulsed by the sight was intent on turning on his heel, yet single thought stopped him in his tracks. 

Weak.

Without the Swede, would this man be able to live all alone? It was unheard of. He seemed only too content to be beside him, day and night. From the few observations that he has made of the couple, the hooded man realised that perhaps things wouldn’t be so perfect if the Finn was to be left alone in the house. What would happen say, if they were separated for longer than a few hours? Of course either of them would be bound to notice, but what if…What if something were to change? 

The young man’s frown turned into a slight smile as he realised the possiblity of his scheme, the sheer simplicity. Why didn’t I think of it before? He wondered in amazement. He looked very much like the young man in the cabin, so similar that perhaps if something were to change none of them would notice anything. Triumphant, the man gave a snigger and ducked back into the shadows. This might as well be the last time he would have to sit outside in the cold, for there was now an easy way to find shelter.

At the crack of dawn, the young man stole across the yard to the neatly stacked piles of wood that the Swede had chopped the day before. A sinister smile curled on his lips as he clicked his fingers. Sawdust began pouring onto the ground, the wood now a form that would be useless. He laughed quietly to himself at his handiwork. With all the wood gone, the Swede would have to go and cut more wood… Which meant of course that the couple would be separated once more. 

Then, just like clockwork the door opened a few hours later. But to his surprise, it was not tall Swede but the Finn who had walked outside. He was looking refreshed and content after some sleep and was seeking to get some of the newly chopped wood that Berwald had prepared. The fire had died down overnight and Tino had wanted to make the room as comfortable as possible for the both of them. 

”Oh dear!” The Finn smile had faded as he noticed the sawdust that was scattered in the snow. “What happened Mr Sweden? Your wood is all gone.” He was about to head back to the house when he remembered that Berwald was still fast asleep. Might as well surprise him then thought Tino as he picked up the axe that was leaning against the wall. 

The hooded young man continued to watch as the blond walked towards the woods, right near where he was hiding. 

He seems so lost and worried thought the hooded man nastily Ha! In his jealously of the young man, he also pitied him slightly. He probably had never been out in the woods alone before, let alone chopped wood without assistance. It also struck him with how panicky the Finn would get if just a minor thing had occurred.

Another memory flashed before him and the hooded man groaned in pain once more. 

The cold, steel blade of a knife touched his bare skin. Tears fell from his eyes, yet he was powerless to move away. 

"Stop crying." A voice behind him ordered "You disobeyed me, remember? After all I had done for you. Unbelievable!" 

The man closed his eyes, wiping away his tears. “I misunderstood you, that’s all. But I won’t do it again! You have my word.” 

"Beg all you like…It won’t eliminate the errors that you have made." The voice remarked cruelly. Slowly, the man ran the knife against the arm of the other. The young man bit his tongue to avoid crying out in pain. "Now with another cut, maybe you won’t make any more errors." The man whispered. Scarlet dripped onto the floor, mixing with the fallen tears. 

He opened his eyes suddenly and glanced back at his arm. There was still a small incision from where the blade has cut him and he then decided what to do. With some reluctance, he ran a sharp nail against the incision and cried, the pain even stronger than it was initially. 

As the young man had planned, the Finn glanced up from his chopping. “Is someone there?” He called anxiously “Hello?” 

The hooded man continued to wail “Help me please!” He cried in a desperate tone “I’ve been hurt. My arm…Ah!” 

Now conscious of the need to rescue someone, he dropped the axe and ran towards the source of the cry. “Stay where you are!” He warned, “I’m coming.” 

Tino raced through some of the trunks to find a black hooded figure, crouched weakly on the ground. He laid his hands on the man’s shoulders, as if to comfort him from his distress.

”Let me see your arm.” Tino pleaded worriedly “Please!” 

The other moved his arm out from the long black sleeve. Tino took hold of the hand gently, surprised by the long, wicked dark nails that almost seemed to jolt from the ghostly paleness of the arm. A trail of blood ran from the forearm, tainting the paleness that framed it. 

"Oh my goodness!" Tino exclaimed, "It looks serious." Ripping a piece of material from his own sleeve, he tried to put pressure on the bleeding. "Don’t worry, you’ll be alright." Tino reassured the hooded man. Yet in an instant, the hood was off. A familiar, young face framed by fair hair addressed him. 

"I…" Tino was speechless. The face was practically identical to his face, except for the red eyes that stared at him from under the matted fair hair. There was a slight scar on his left cheek. 

"I know…" The man was smiling "You look like me and I look like you. Ha! Talk about the possibility." His voice has a cynical tone to it "We could be related, don’t you think?" 

Tino relaxed. The red-eyed twin seemed to be friendly. “I’m just surprised! I didn’t realise that I had relatives here.” He returned the smile. 

Red-eyed Tino was silent for a moment. The Finn seemed so unsuspecting, it was incredible. As if to get closer to him, the twin placed a hand to the other’s face. “Amazing…” He remarked. Tino blushed slightly and chuckled nervously. He couldn’t even comprehend what was happening. In a way, it was disconcerting and his mind was swimming with questions. 

"Who…Who are you?" 

The other leaned forward, his features darkening “I’m Tino Väinämöinen…” He whispered threateningly. Before the Finn could answer, a fist slammed into the back of his head.

As Tino desperately stared into the sinister red eyes before him, the surrounding world dulled…

 

…And everything went black.

 

Meanwhile Berwald was getting anxious. He checked around the house a few times, calling for the cheery Finn, yet there was no reply. Confused, he slung on a jacket and was about to make his way to the door when a familiar blond figure emerged. The sudden appearance of the Finn shocked Berwald, making him jolt slightly. But at the same time, he was relieved that his partner was safe. 

"Tino…"

The Finn’s facial features were hard to see under the messy blond bangs. It hadn’t even occurred to the Swede with how long Tino’s hair had become. Nevertheless, he was still happy to see him and quickly ushered him inside. Snow caked on his clothes, yet he seemed unaffected by this. 

"Aren’t you…Cold?" The tall Swede murmured, not taking his eyes off Tino. The Finn stood in silence, which was very unusual for someone who was normally so bubbly. Shrugging at the sudden change of behaviour, Berwald wordlessly went outside to collect the firewood. The stack had appeared untouched, the red-eyed twin quick to replace the wood that he had destroyed previously. He then returned to the house and lit a fire. 

The Finn continued to stand in one spot, thinking furiously. How was he supposed to behave? It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn’t fully scrutinised Tino’s actions properly. He had to be happy…Yet how? He then looked back at the Swede, his heart thumping. A mix of anger and excitement had occupied his mind and he didn’t know how to respond. The man had reminded him so much of ha man that he once worked for..A man who he used to care for so much yet acted like such a stranger. Anger pulsed in his veins as he remembered the scolding and the beatings of the man. He looked at the Swede once more, his back turned as he was hunched over the fire. To push him into the fire seemed so satisfying, yet was it really worth it? 

Tino was so happy. So cheerful. If he could be so happy from being around someone like that, then why can’t I? The red-eyed Finn wondered to himself. He decided not to push him. This was the chance to finally be happy, to live life just like how he wanted to. Why not make the best of it?

"Berwald…" The man smiled, trying to sound as cheery as he possibly could. The Swede turned around, suddenly attentive to hear from the other. To his relief, the Swede had the same name as his previous master. "Don’t you think it’s a little…Warm?"

"What?" The Swede blinked behind his spectacles. 

Red-eyed Tino gave another smile, realising what he had to do. Perhaps if he showed some affection first, Berwald might understand. After all, that was what his master had always wanted. He walked closer and placed a hand on his arm the way Tino usually did. “I mean…It’s just so hot. You understand me, don’t you? I feel like…Ah…” 

The twin paused to fan himself, looking as if he were about to pass out. Berwald continued to look baffled. The fire he had lit was somehow warmer than he had expected. “What I mean to say is, I need to get out of these clothes. They’re too heavy.”

A blush suddenly appeared on the Swede’s face. He knew exactly what the red-eyed Finn had meant. But when was it the last time that Tino had behaved in such a way? He was normally far too shy to make advances. 

"Berwald…" Red-eyed Tino gasped, a hand reaching up to wipe sweat from his forehead. He smiled slightly as the blush grew deeper on Berwald’s face. He was enjoying the power that he was exerting on the older man. Suddenly, he began to unzip his jacket, letting it fall to the floor. The taller blond turned around back to the fire, trying to mask his bashfulness. Tino never had him feel like this before. He cleared his throat and tried to change the subject. 

"If you have a fever…" He began "You can go and lie down." 

Red-eyed Tino grinned as he continued to remove his clothes. “I think that would be great!” He announced “But, it won’t be much fun if I had to lie there all by myself.” Naked, he walked over to the kneeling Swede who still kept his eyes on the fire. As if to tease him, he brushed past his back sensually. Running his fingertips through Berwald’s hair, the Finn leaned closer to the Swede so that his chest was against his shoulders. “Come on…” He urged in a lower voice. “You know how much this will mean to me.” 

Berwald remained speechless, unsure with how to react. It felt as if some invisible force had kept his feet in one place, paralysing him . He closed his eyes, trying to mask his own elation that was beginning to show in other places. Perhaps if he didn’t draw attention to it, Tino wouldn’t notice. But the Finn was nowhere near as clueless as the Swede once thought. 

"Ah ha!" Red-eyed Tino cried, moving his hands towards the other’s thighs. "I knew it." He traced his fingers over his belt buckle, realising how hard the taller man was getting. It usually took a long time to achieve the same result for the master. Pride washed over him as he leaned closer, his lips resting against Berwald’s ear. 

"Now we don’t want that!" With a single flourish, he removed the spectacles before Berwald could catch a glimpse of his red eyes that were shining bright with excitement. "Look how much nicer you are, without all that. If you wore contacts, I would probably be much happier." Red-eyed Tino commented. 

"Huh?" The Swede squinted at the blur before him. 

"You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to." Red-eyed Tino replied, misunderstanding Berwald’s confusion. "I can do all the talking, if you like. After all, that’s usually how things are, right?"

"Ja, true." Berwald tried to get up, yet the other grabbed his pants and pulled them down over his feet, preventing him from getting anywhere.

"Ah!" the red-eyed twin smirked "Not so fast, big guy. You want it fast; I’ll give it to you fast. But if you want it slow, then slow it is." 

Finally gaining his strength, the Swede backed away. Something wasn’t right. Tino seemed far too dominant for starters. Dismissing it as a symptom of his “fever” Berwald turned to go to the kitchen. “I’m getting something to eat.” He said shortly. 

"What?!" The red-eyed twin gasped as the taller man walked away. He couldn’t believe quickly the Swede had turned him down. If the man had pushed him away or hit him maybe things wouldn’t be so awkward. He’d understand immediately. The urge to shove him to the floor was suddenly overwhelming, but he paused as he recalled the sparkly, joyful eyes of Tino. 

"Okay!" He sighed loudly, reverting back into a cheery tone, much to sweet for his own liking "Looks like I’m going to go lie down then!" The Finn walked over to the bed, another idea leaping back into his mind. He was growing hard with excitement as he climbed into the blankets, his body ready, more than ever. Berwald wouldn’t be interested now, but perhaps he could coax him in another way. Seizing his own cock, he began to stroke it slowly, shivering in delight as his own long nails began to rub against himself. "Mmm…" He moaned to himself, still loud enough for Berwald to hear. He peered up to see whether the Swede was affected in anyway at all, but he was busy eating. Red-eyed Tino reverted back to his caress, closing his eyes in pleasure. Realising that his actions were still receiving little attention, he stroked himself harder, groaning even louder. Berwald flinched and clenched his fists, willing himself not to act on his instincts. He wanted to join him, yet at the same time he was feeling too disconcerted to even reciprocate the Finn’s actions. 

"Aaah.." panted red-eyed Tino as he continued to move his fingers "Berwald.." He pleaded, his eyes shining brightly "I…I."

The Swede had enough. In a split second, he marched over to the bed. Climbing over the lying Finn, he grabbed hold of both of his wrists. 

"Stop it." He snapped, his voice still quiet, yet menacing. 

The red-eyed Tino frowned, shocked that his actions were stopped so suddenly “Since when were you so nasty?” He snapped “Just because you’re missing out my touch, it doesn’t give you the right to stop me from having fun.”

"What has gotten into you-" Berwald began, but before he could say another word, the Finn had shoved him down. Pinning him to the bed, it was the Finn’s turn to be on top. 

"I just want fun…" whispered the red-eyed Tino "If you won’t give it to me, I’ll have to give it to you." And with those words, he began stripping off the Swede’s garments. Berwald watched in horror, squinting to at least make eye contact to the double. But without his glasses, he was helpless. 

"So do you?" The red-eyed double whispered huskily "Do you want fun as well?"

The Swede tried to shake his head, but the double grabbed his face and stared him directly into the eyes. Even with the red eyes so close to his face, Berwald was unable to fully scrutinise his features. “You do…” Red-eyed Tino answered, smiling as a bead of sweat trickled down Berwald’s forehead. “Even if you don’t want to say it, your body tells me otherwise.” 

Berwald shifted slightly on the sheets, struggling to move away. The double did have a point. As much as he was perplexed by the Finn’s behaviour, he was also filled with excitement. Red-eyed Tino planted himself firmly on the other’s torso. Then, giving a mischievous smile, he leaned in towards the Swede’s bare neck and bit straight into it. 

"Mmgh!" Berwald mumbled as a painful sting began to develop on his neck. Two perfect marks, slightly reddened stood out from the fair skin. The red-eyed double paused to run his long nails against the mark he had made. Proud with his handiwork, he lurched forward and drove his teeth directly into the flesh a few meters above the taller blond’s nipple. Berwald shook slightly, in a mix of horror and pleasure. As unusual as this feeling was to him, he didn’t want it to stop. Red-eyed Tino continued to dig his dark nails into the older man’s flesh. Shaping his hands like claws, he slowly journeyed closer towards Berwald’s lower regions, the feeling like that of a crawling spider. 

"Feel that?" inquired red-eyed Tino. The Swede kept his mouth shut, trying his hardest to suppress his moans. "Come on Berwald. I want to hear you..Loud and clear."

The Swede shut his eyes, his fists clenching the sheets around him. His heart was racing now, now fully aware of how low the Finn’s hands were travelling. “Mm..” He grunted quietly in response. 

"Not good enough!" A triumphant grin spread over the shorter man’s face and he clenched Berwald’s hardening cock. 

"AH!" Berwald shouted, springing up so suddenly that it almost knocked the Finn off the bed. 

"Erinomainen!!" Red-eyed Tino exclaimed. He grabbed the shoulders of the Swede and pushed him back onto the bed with force. "You’re so much better when you’re making noise…" Still keeping his eyes on the Swede, he began to stroke him quickly. Berwald’s eyes still remained closed, although he could not prevent the hopeless pants that kept on rising from his throat. Then, as he reached his climax, he gave a huge gasp and found his hands grabbing onto the Finn’s waist. Pulling him down so that their skin was touching, red-eyed Tino eagerly spread his legs, inviting Berwald into him. 

"Mmm..This is good!" Breathed the double as the Swede’s length slid into him with ease. He rose and fell as Berwald clung onto him. Crying out from excitement, he dragged his nails across the back of the other’s shoulders. 

"Ahh!" He cried, his red eyes now gleaming strongly under his tousled bangs. He was sweating profusely now. It had felt like an eternity since he had received such an overwhelming stream of pleasure. "Berwald…Ahh…Berwald I’m going to…I’m going to.." With one loud screech, the couple reached their climax simultaneously. Now grinning manically, the Finn clasped Berwald’s jaw and kissed him passionately, his sharp teeth cutting into the Swede’s lips and tongue. As drops of scarlet began to seep from the incision, the red-eyed double eagerly licked them up. Berwald gave another quiet grunt and reciprocated the double’s actions, his lips eagerly meeting red-eyed Tino. 

Exhausted but content, Berwald collapsed into a deep sleep. Red-eyed Tino joined him, his arms wrapped tightly around the Swede’s solid build. He sighed. So this was what power felt like. In that moment the red-eyed double believed that perhaps he had defeated the sinister master after all. 

The next day Berwald awoke with a start. Frowning at the state of the bed sheets, he disentangled himself from the Finn’s embrace and got dressed. To his relief, his spectacles were on the bedside table, completely unharmed. Putting them on, he was able to see everything much clearly now. He turned to the sleeping young man and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Even though Tino was acting strange, Berwald had never felt so at ease before. Whatever had happened last night had lifted his spirits. But as he looked at the Finn, all his elation was replaced by concern. Several wounds were etched all over his stark, pale form. From all the times he had seen the Finn without clothing, Berwald could not recall there being so many scars. Careful not to wake him, he gently swept the blonde bangs aside to give him another kiss when he stopped short. A short but definite scar jutted out from the fair skin. Did he always have a scar like that before? It seemed so horrendous, as if it wasn’t meant to be there in the first place. Berwald traced a finger over the scar, suddenly anxious for the Finn. Did someone hurt him while he had vanished the previous morning? How did Tino not alert him? 

But before he could begin to think about the possible predators in the snow, the Finn’s eyes fluttered open. To the Swede’s shock, it was not the usual friendly violet that Tino’s irises usually possessed. A striking, blood red pierced his gaze and the double gasped, realising that the Swede had identified him after all. 

"What happened?" Berwald stood staring at the Finn, his blue eyes filled with more suspicion than concern.

"I…I don’t have to tell you!" Red-eyed Tino snapped. He couldn’t believe how stupid he was to just let his guard down carelessly. If only he had covered his wounds…The thought of staying in the cabin forever with the Swede had vanished. There was no way he could continue now. 

Startled by the rude answer of the Finn, Berwald’s thoughts were finally confirmed. This was not Tino. 

"Where is Tino? What have you done to him?" The Swede glared at the young man, standing in front of the bed so that he could not escape. 

"What are you talking about, Berwald?!" Red-eyed Tino asked, his voice far too angry to sound as sweet and cheery as the man he was impersonating. "I am Tino. We slept together, don’t you remember? I’ve been living with you from the very start. I’ve been dying to be with you, master. You have no idea.”

"Tino would never say that." Berwald said dismissively "And I am not your master."

"Look here!" The double was getting impatient. Grabbing him by the arm, he leapt up to try and match his height. "I love you. How much can I say it?! I’ll treat you much better than that pathetic man, you’ll see."

The Swede turned away. He heard enough. “So you’re not Tino. I’m going to find him then.”

"NO!" Red-eyed Tino shouted. It was no use. His cover was already blown. "I may not be your partner…" The double said in a quieter voice "But that does not change my feelings for you. Please, please Berwald. Stay with me. I know we have a connection, especially with the way things were last night. And I’m sure that you feel the same about me! Don’t leave me…Please…” Desperate, he fell to his knees and wrapped his arms pathetically around the Swede’s legs. Burying his head in his pants, he half-sobbed, half-cursed “Damn it…I didn’t mean to make an error on you. Punish me all you like. I don’t care. I don’t even care if you killed me. I love you, you know that. Please, let me make this right for you…For us.”

"There is no us." Berwald said curtly. The words cut through the double’s soul like shards of ice and were just as cold. Without any hesitation, he pulled away from the other’s grasp and walked briskly to the door. 

Sobbing and still naked, the Finn curled into a ball and cursed profusely. All of his efforts were wasted. Even though he had managed to gain the Swede’s attention, Berwald did not share the same feelings for him. It was almost as bad as the situation with his master. 

All I wanted was to make things different. Tears fell onto the sheets as the vulnerable man continued to curse for this injustice. A brief vision of Tino’s sparkling violet eyes flashed into his mind as he continued to weep. 

Now I’ll never know what it means to be happy…

Tino opened his eyes. Everything felt so cold. His arms and legs were numb, as if he had been sitting in one spot for too long. He struggled to move, yet something was in the way. Sitting up, he bumped his head against some unseen barrier. The Finn was trapped. 

"Where am I?!" He wondered out loud. "Mr Sweden?!"

Silence. 

Tino rubbed his head. It all came back to him. The search for firewood, the cries in the forest and then the mysterious figure in the hood…The young man who had looked so much like him. How long had he been unconscious? It was difficult to say. Panicking, he pushed against the barrier around him, yet his fingers stuck hopelessly, the tips freezing instantaneously. To his horror, he pulled his hand back. This wasn’t just glass…It was an ice barrier…

How did I end up in here? Using all his weight, he threw himself against the side of the ice wall, hoping to shatter it. But the contact to the barrier only made him even colder. Spinning around to take in his surroundings, Tino realised that he hadn’t moved from the last place that he was awake in. Pine trees towered over him, casting dark, angular shadows over him. It was no use. There was no way that he could escape. Even if he had broken from the ice barrier, it would have been much too dark to find his way back home. Fear began to occupy his mind. If the double had managed to trap him, then what was he doing to Berwald? He bit his lip in worry, upset that he would not be able to protect his partner. “Don’t hurt him…” whispered Tino frantically as if the double was nearby “Please keep him safe.” 

"How adorable…" A sinister, sarcastic voice caused the Finn to jump, bumping his head against the ice barrier. It was the red-eyed double. Emerging from behind one of the pine trees, red-eyed Tino was frowning, his scars looking even more menacing in the poor light. "Even though he has gone from you, you still want him back."

What are you saying?!” Tino cried “He will come back and save me. I know he will.”

"You are so naive." The double insulted. Walking closer to the Tino, he placed a palm on the ice barrier. "Like a little boy. Even though he had submitted to another lover, you still think that he wants to save you."

Tino’s purple eyes widened in disbelief “No! He…He would never do that!”

Come on Tino, wake up to yourself! Don’t you see? He was just using you the whole time…Like he was using me. I know his kind.” The other man was sitting directly in front of the ice barrier now, his red eyes on the encased Finn. “Do you know why you’re here?”

Distraught, the blond shook his head. 

"I’m actually trying to protect you, Tino…In fact, I went to see Berwald myself. While you slept, I went to see him. I comforted him…" As he placed a hand onto the barrier, a hole was formed. Stretching his arm into the barrier and he placed a hand on the other’s cheek "…Like a lover… You see you were lucky. I saw you two myself. You both looked so content with each other." The thought filled him with jealously and he struck the Finn, causing him to fall over slightly "I NEVER received anything like that before. Do you know how difficult things were for me while you both were enjoying life, completely obvious to the rest of the world? I was nothing. Only a forgotten soul. You’ve just been taking everything for granted, right? Well Berwald took more for granted. If you knew what things he did before, you would have never wanted to stay with him."

"What are you talking about?!" Tino demanded, "How…How could you speak of Mr Sweden in that way? I’ve lived with him before. He’s been so good to me. You’re just mistaken! And you can’t just take him away if you don’t even love him yourself! It’s crazy. You’re crazy! LET ME OUT!" choking back a sob, he hunched over and wept, shaking in fury as much as in disgust. 

The double remained silent for a moment. It was unusual to be spoken like that by someone like Tino. He wanted to give him another slap, to punish him for all the things that he just shouted; yet he held his anger back. Calmly, he drew another arm through the barrier, causing the hole to grow bigger and then crawled into the ice casing beside Tino. Placing his arms around the Finn, he shifted even closer to the crouching man. In just a few seconds, the hole sealed up.

"I think you are mistaken." whispered the red-eyed double finally. "You see, I did those things because I can…Because I deserve it. Why should you have the right to be happy? I’m the one who needs happiness.” Long black fingernails scratched against Tino’s cheek. Terrified, the Finn kept his head down. But the double didn’t accept that. A hand clawing in his hair, he jerked the teary face up so that Tino was staring directly at him. Even though his vision was foggy from crying, Tino could see his own face looking back at him, red eyes filled with a mix of malice, jealousy and contempt. 

"I don’t hate you…" The double answered, as if reading his thoughts. "In fact, quite the reverse. The more I look at you, the more sorry I feel for your situation. Perhaps we don’t need that Swede in our lives."

"What?!" Voice hoarse from screaming, Tino did not sound as demanding as he had intended. Instead, it was just a little squeak. 

The long black nails continued to trail around the Finn’s cheekbones. “What I mean…Is don’t you want to stay with me instead?” 

"I-I.." Tino struggled to stammer, but the long nails swept over his mouth. It was almost like the way that Berwald had placed a finger over his lips before they were going to make warm, sweet love on that cold morning. 

"Let’s see how good you are." The double ignored Tino’s squeaks "I’m curious to see whether you feel the same…Since we are basically the same person. Come on…” He coaxed, his nails forcing the Finn’s lips open “Show me.”

Heart thumping, Tino tried to spit out the fingers from his mouth. This was all too much for him. He wasn’t even sure how to react. 

Frowning, the double drew away “Fine. You don’t like that. How about this?” Without much ado, he moved his fingers to him own lips. Smiling slightly, he gave a few licks, his eyes half-closed as if enjoying a Popsicle. 

Tino blushed. Rather than feeling more scared, his chest was feeling tight. A strange sensation washed over him. He couldn’t even decipher it. He did feel slightly hot and embarrassed, much like the way Berwald’s actions had on him, yet this was different. Unspoken parts of his body ached, as if the double’s tongue had lapped against them instead. The double, seeing Tino’s expression parted his lips and slid his finger directly into his mouth, dragging it as deep as he could. Gasping, Tino tried to look away, but his eyes continued to bore onto him. 

Eyes shining brightly, the red-eyed double knew that he had succeeded. In only a few moments, he had leapt onto the Finn, his clawed hands tearing into Tino’s clothing. The Finn made a poor attempt to push the other away, secretly hoping that the double would just go on. Then, red-eyed Tino stripped from his own clothing without too much effort. The Finn’s eyes widened as he noticed the twin’s numerous long scars that lined his small frame. 

"How did this happen?!" He asked worriedly, his hands tracing over the scars. "How long has this been going on for?!" 

"Shut up." The double snapped "It doesn’t matter. What matters is if we are together. The only thing I ever want is you, Tino."

"But Mr Sweden…"

"Enough!" He drove his teeth into the neck of the Finn, causing him to cry in pain. Blood dripped from his lips as he drew back. "I don’t want to hear of him anymore! He’s the one who caused these scars." Seeing the concern in the violet eyes calmed him as the memory of their last encounter came back. It was the same concern that the blond had for him when he had hurt himself. Even though the injury was just for an act, Tino genuinely cared for him. Out of impulse, he pulled Tino’s chin close and kissed him hard on the mouth, causing the blood to stain against his lips as well. The Finn closed his eyes at the contact, his heart fluttering quicker than his mind could figure out what was happening to him. Before he could do anything about it, he felt his thighs being pulled apart as the other tried to force his way into him. 

"Now…" panted the other, his hair now ruffled as Tino’s "I want to hear you. I’m sure that you will make more noise than that Swede."

"N-No.." Tino moaned, wriggling underneath the other. 

"Yes!" The other groaned as he went even deeper. He clung his arms around the Finn tighter, as if afraid that he was going to escape. His nails dragged against Tino’s back, making him cry out in pain and in pleasure as he continued. Then, after they came together, red-eyed Tino gave a harsh, vicious kiss which had drawn a cut to the Finn’s lips. Warn out and weak, the blond closed his eyes as the dominating blond licked the blood away slowly. 

"Good." Red-eyed Tino whispered as a smile curled on his lips once more. It was rewarding to receive all the power on the other. As Tino became weaker the double could feel the vibrancy and life merging into his own being. 

A rustle in the leaves caused him to halt and he quickly spun around to meet the eyes of his enemy. 

"Berwald." The scarred twin interjected distastefully "You’re too late." 

The Swede frowned, his blond hair brilliant in the darkness. Noticing the discarded clothing in the snow, he knew that the double spoke the truth. But this action of passion did not anger him. It was all the doing of the twin.

"Let him go." 

"Why should I?!" The red-eyed twin asked angrily "He makes me happy. More happy than you ever could." He placed a hand into the sleeping Finn’s hair. "I actually thought that I could have a better life with you again but I was wrong. You are just as bad as ever."

"I don’t know what you are talking about." Berwald responded. The way the double was caressing Tino was setting him on edge, but he kept a straight face "We never had a life together before. Until a few days ago, I never knew who you were."

"That’s not true!" red-eyed Tino shouted. "My master…" He placed his hands on his own scars "My master did this to me! And he looked exactly like you. After I had fled, almost dying of exhaustion I finally discovered this village. And I saw you…Pretending to go on with life as if everything between us had never happened!" Recalling the moment when he had first stumbled across the cabin had reawakened the same feelings of shock that he had experienced then. "You tried replacing me…" He realised "With someone who looked exactly like me! And now look! Are you happy now, Berwald?" He tried to blink away the hot tears that were threatening to make him appear more vulnerable "You damaged me…Then, when I was ugly you abused me and left me to fend for myself." 

The Swede walked closer to the ice barrier, placing a hand on it and realising that it was too strong to puncture through “Let Tino go.” He decided “And we’ll talk.” 

"I won’t." Red-eyed Tino insisted "Not on my life. You will never get us. We’ll stay in here forever."

 

"Please…" 

Berwald and the double looked stunned, realising that Tino was finally awake and speaking. His voice was barely a feeble whisper and the new wounds on his flesh were beginning to ache. 

"Please…" He whispered again, his hand reaching out weakly to touch the scarred double’s. "Let me go…" 

Raising his eyebrows in hesitation, he turned to look at the pleading, violet eyes of his twin. The thrill and adrenalin from dominating the Finn was quickly subsiding. “I-I can’t…” He stammered. “If I let you go, I’ll have nobody else.” 

"Please Tino." The Finn stared into the red eyes desperately, hoping to see some trace of remorse. He knew in his heart that everyone had a good side, no matter how much hate someone could possess. He gripped his hand tighter "You want to be happy, you told me so yourself. You won’t be happy if I died in here." He shivered as he tried to speak "It’s so cold. I can’t stay here with you. I’m sorry."

"No." The other shook his head in disbelief "If you’re here with me, I’ll be alive. I’ll be happy."

Tino struggled to sit up and moved himself closer to the twin “Not for long, Tino. It’s too cold. I’m too weak to make you happy.” He hunched over to cough loudly, the cold fast affecting his health. “Don’t…Don’t leave me to die.” He begged. The double turned away, realising that the expression of Tino was making him guiltier. But the hand still remained on his own. He tried to move it away, but Finn was already sitting up again. Pulling the black-nailed hand towards him, he moved his lips closer to the double and gave him a tender, soft kiss. 

"Please…" He urged before drawing his lips back towards him. Tino continued to kiss him slowly, leaving the other speechless, still pleading as he did so. He had heard a voice before say the same word, over and over again. In a dark room, with his head downcast and kneeling in front of a tall, shadowy figure he remembered that voice. A quiet, sorrowful voice of the forgotten soul. 

He remembered hearing that word because it had trembled from his own lips. 

Overwhelmed by all the feelings of guilt, rage and sadness, he pushed against the ice barrier, creating an opening wide enough for the Finn. “Go!” He yelled “Get out of my sight!” Hiding underneath his bangs, tears began to stream from his eyes. Worried, Tino tried to place a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, but he flinched out of his grasp. “Leave me here!” He shouted, his voice wavering “If I can’t be happy with anyone, then I might as well die here by myself!” 

"Wait!" Tino shouted "You don’t have to be alone. Your master…We can find him for you. Just tell us where he lives."

"No." Said the other firmly, furiously wiping away his tears "I don’t want anything to do with him! Get out!" He paused as he realised that more tears were falling from his cheeks. He was about to brush them away when he noticed that they weren’t coming from his eyes at all. Water droplets fell from the icicles that were beginning to lower from the ceiling of the ice barrier. It was no longer safe. 

"Get out, Tino!" the red-eyed double barked "You will die if you stay here! Go!" The icicles continued to expand, the air quickly dropping in temperature around him. 

Horrified, Tino noticed the icicles. “No! I can’t leave you here! You need to get out too!”

Red-eyed Tino gave a sad smile, the concern of the twin even more obvious and endearing “That’s not possible.” he explained as the icicles stretched out towards him. “This hole is only for one person. I don’t have the power to make another. You need to crawl out while you can.” 

In tears, Tino crawled out of the hole quickly. After dressing himself briskly, he desperately turned to Berwald who had been standing in silent terror “Mr Sweden!” He suddenly remembered “The axe! I left an axe here a few days ago. Help me find it, please!”

Although the Swede had felt resentment for the twin for putting Tino into so much distress, he quickly sprinted closer to the direction of the cabin. It was still quite dark, yet in the moonlight, he could see the shining blade poking out from beneath the snow. He grabbed the axe by the hilt and raced back to the place where the others were. 

By now the icicles were brushing against the double’s hair. Tino was struggling to pull him out, his hands gripping at the wounded arm tightly.

"Mr Sweden!!" Tino was in tears "I can’t get him out!" 

The expression ached the Swede but he had no time to comfort his partner. With all his might, he swung back the axe. 

WHACK

There was only a slight crack. Berwald tried again. 

WHACK, WHACK

Tears continued to fall from the Finn’s eyes, realising that Berwald’s actions were doing little effort. But the Swede continued anyway, determined to rescue the twin who had caused them so much pain. To let him die was just unthinkable. A few more strikes at the ice caused a few more cracks, sending icy dust in the air. As he did this, the icicles were closer drawing towards red-eyed Tino’s neck and Berwald quickened the strikes. 

 

Sure enough, there was a wide enough gap for the double to crawl out, only the icicles were keeping him intact. Tino placed his hands on each side of the twin’s face, gazing into the pained, scarlet eyes. 

"We will get you out…" Tino sobbed, knowing all too well that this was just a lie. "I promise you." 

"Shut up." came the strained whisper from the other Finn as the icicle poked against his throat "I have faced death before…Much worse things than you can imagine. This will be nothing for me."

Tino moved his face closer to plant a kiss on the forehead of the double. Even though they had only known each other for a few hours, the Finn had grown closer to the twin. “I’m sorry…” He wept “I am so, so sorry.” 

The double closed his eyes and gave a bitter smile as his fate was getting closer. “No..” He finally whispered, “I am.” It all dawned on him with how much destruction he had caused. Tino and Berwald were living happily together without his intrusion. But because of jealousy and greed, he had set them apart and tried to gain a second chance from living with the Swede. 

But Berwald was not his master, no more than Tino was himself. As the tip of the icicle threatened to puncture into his skin, he knew that he had used up his second chance. 

Tino turned away, sobbing into the taller man’s chest as Berwald held him. There was nothing else they could do. Yet just as they were about to walk away, a dark figure swooped down from one of the pine trees. The man looked almost exactly like Berwald, yet his hair was jet black. He moved his scarred hands towards the icicles and grasped them tightly. In an instant, the icicles melted and he dragged out the drenched and cold Finnish double. To the surprise but relief of the observing couple, red-eyed Tino was saved. 

The Finnish double struggled to open his eyes as he felt something warm being wrapped around his body. When he had woken up completely, red-eyed Tino noticed his own coat being wrapped around him by familiar scarred hands. 

"I’ve got you now…" His master’s voice reassured him.

"Master Berwald?" He didn’t know what to think. Even though he could never hate anyone more than he had hated his master, the man was the one who had saved his life. Suddenly grateful, but weak from the cold, red-eyed Tino rested his head against him. 

"Stop with that Master nonsense." The dark-haired Swede scolded, placing a hand through his wet locks "I feel terrible for how I had treated you. I was way too hard on you and made you run from me. But after you left, things were not the same." Embarrassed, he looked directly at the Finn in his arms, meeting him with his own scarred features "I want you back, Tino…That is, if you are willing to live with me properly. If you are my lover instead of my slave, I would be more at ease with things." 

Noticing how remorseful the dark-haired man had looked, the red-eyed double had forgotten the bitter resentment that he had towards him. The scolding, the beatings…They were all just ways to mask up his true feelings. Perhaps he deserves a second chance too… Red-eyed Tino thought. 

"Would you like to live with me again, Tino?" The scarred Swede asked. Witnessing the compassion within the red eyes was making him lose his nerve and he looked down in shame. After the way he had treated the young man, he did not expect a positive answer. 

But to his surprise, the red-eyed Finn moved up towards the man’s lips and gave him a peck on the mouth. Smiling, he kissed the embarrassed Swede again, enjoying his new expression. 

"There is nowhere else I would rather be." He answered, his black nails resting against the other’s jaw. 

Cheery from the positive, yet unlikely solution, Tino gave a huge grin “Aw Mr Sweden!” He exclaimed, “Isn’t that just adorable!” 

"Ja." Berwald agreed "But let’s just give them some space, okay?"

"Oh! Of course." Tino smiled sheepishly and grabbed his partner’s arm. "Come on, let’s get home. It’s freezing." 

Yet as the couple had returned to the cabin, the two doubles had long gone. Perhaps they were on their way back to their old home or had disintegrated together for another chance of a better life. Tino and Berwald’s wounds had already healed from their encounter of the red-eyed twin; it was as if they had ceased to exist.

Either way, there was no doubt in Tino or Berwald’s mind that these two forgotten and lonely souls would stay together for an eternity…

**Author's Note:**

> Translation key:
> 
> Ja: Yes (or just an indication of agreement. It means the same in German as in Swedish, Danish and Norwegian)
> 
> Erinomainen: Finnish for excellent (Apologises if my translation is inaccurate, I do not know the language)


End file.
